"When Balak took Bilaam"

452. "And it came to pass on the morrow, when Balak took Bilaam..." (Bemidbar 22:41). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Balak was wiser in magic than Bilaam, except that he was unable to figure out the most opportune time to curse, LIKE BILAAM. Therefore, "Balak took Bilaam." He was preparing him and holding to him in everyway.

453. "And brought him up into the high altars of Ba'al" (Ibid.). What is the meaning of: "And brought him up into the high altars of Ba'al?" HE RESPONDS: It is that he observed which aspect OF YISRAEL he should grasp on to with his witchcraft. And he discovered that Yisrael were going to build altars and serve the Ba'al, as it says, "And served the Ba'al" (II Melachim 17:16). "That thence he might see the utmost part of the people" (Bemidbar 22:41): he noticed the chiefs of the people and their king worshipping him, as it is written: "And they called on the name of the Ba'al" (I Melachim 18:26) and: "If Hashem be Elohim..." (Ibid. 21). As soon as Bilaam saw that Yisrael were going for it in the future, immediately "Bilaam said to Balak, 'Build me here seven altars'" (Bemidbar 23:1).

454. Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Yehuda were talking. One said that in accordance with the earlier altars, THAT WERE PREPARED by the ancestors, he offered sacrifices ON seven altars. And one said that he did everything with wisdom, because he found that Yisrael's lot was tied to the seven levels, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. Therefore, he said, Let me set up seven altars.

455. THIS IS COMPARABLE to a person who had a friend, whose father left him. People were afraid to quarrel with him on account of that friendship. Sometime later, a person came and wanted to quarrel with him. He thought to himself, What should I do? If I provoke him into a quarrel, here he has a friend, and I shall not prevail. What did he do? He sent a gift to the friend. The friend thought to himself, What does this fellow have to do with me? I understand that it is on account of my friend's son, WHOM HE WISHES TO HARM. He said, This gift is not acceptable to me. Call the dogs, and let them eat it.

456. So, Bilaam too came along to provoke a quarrel with Yisrael and saw that he could not, because of that supernal friend of theirs. He began preparing a gift for Him, WHICH IS THE SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Wicked one, what do you have to do with Me? You wish to be associate with My children. Behold, your gift is being given to the dogs.' Come and observe that it is written: "And Elohim met (Heb. vayikar) Bilaam" (Bemidbar 23:16). Rabbi Shimon said VAYIKAR is derived from the same root as nightly pollution (Heb. keri) and defilement. Behold, your gift is presented to those, and does not enter before Me.

457. Rabbi Aba said, vayikar is like it says: "Who can stand before His cold (Heb. karato)?" (Tehilim 147:17). He was confident that he would be able to overcome Yisrael with that gift. It is written: "And Elohim met (Heb. vayikar);" He cooled Himself from what he, BILAAM, was thinking. IN ADDITION, "And Elohim met" is as we were taught, that the aspect of defilement was roused against him.

458. Rabbi Elazar said that vayikar MEANS THAT Bilaam believed he would be able to harm Yisrael with that gift. The Holy One, blessed be He, eradicated that gift from His presence, expunged Bilaam from such thoughts and uprooted him from that level. That is what is meant by vayiker, as it says, "The ravens of the valley shall pick it up (Heb. yikruha)" (Mishlei 30:17). He said to him, 'Wicked one, you are not worthy to be associated with Me or to enter into My presence. Your gift will be given to the dog.'

459. Rabbi Shimon said, Come and see that this wicked one was the abomination of everyone, because you will not find in the entire passage of the episode such expressions as: "And Hashem spoke to Bilaam" or "And Hashem said." Heaven forbid. It is written: "And Hashem put a word in the mouth of Bilaam...," which is like someone who puts the bridle bit into the mouth of the she-mule to restrain it from diverting this way or that. So too is the meaning of: "And Hashem put a word in the mouth..."

460. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Wicked one, do you really think that it depends on you if the blessings will be fulfilled in My children or not? They do not need you. They say to a bee: NOT FROM YOUR STING AND NOT FROM YOUR HONEY, but rather "go back to Balak" (Bemidbar 23:16). When you open your mouth, it will not be in your control and it will not depend on your mouth, but only "say thus (Heb. coh)." For coh, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, is prepared to bless them and coh will express the blessing of My children. When you open your mouth, She will speak the words that will come true in My children, and I will not leave these matters in your hand.'

461. Come and see that this is how it was. As soon as BILAAM came to Balak and Balak heard all these things, WITH WHICH HE BLESSED YISRAEL, Balak first thought that they emerged from Bilaam's mouth. He said, "I called you to curse my enemies..." and Bilaam replied, Take this witchcraft into your hand to restrain here this coh, WHICH IS MALCHUT. If you will be capable of holding her back with this sorcery, I will expunge all these words that She said from her, MEANING HE WILL NULLIFY THE BLESSINGS THAT SHE SAID, AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

462. It is written: "Stand thus (Heb. coh) by your burnt offering" (Bemidbar 23:15). Through this and through these magical practices, you will restrain Her Coh, WHICH IS MALCHUT, "while I go to the meeting yonder (lit. 'meet coh')," meaning to say I will uproot Her from these words THAT WERE SAID BY HER. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Wicked one, I will uproot you.' It is said afterwards: "And Elohim met Bilaam" (Bemidbar 23:16). That matter will raise its voice with the speeches of coh and that is what is written: "And said, 'Go back to Balak, and say thus (Heb. coh)'." "And say thus (coh)" is exact.

463. Come and see: The first time it is not written: 'Stand thus (Heb. coh) by your burnt offering,' but rather "Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps Hashem will come to meet me" (Ibid. 3). However, when he realized that coh spoke those blessings, he then said, "Stand thus (coh) by your burnt offering, while I go to the meeting yonder," MEANING AS EXPLAINED IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.

464. "Come, curse (Heb. ara) me Jacob" (Ibid. 7). Ara means 'pick,' DERIVED FROM: "I HAVE GATHERED (HEB. ARITI) MY MYRRH WITH MY SPICE" (SHIR HASHIRIM 5:1). Rabbi Yosi said, He threw them off from that level where they stood before, as it is written: "And I will shoot (Heb. ore) on the side of it" (I Shmuel 20:20), MEANING SHOOT AND HURL THEM AWAY. He said, If you will be able to hurl them off that level, THAT IS MALCHUT, all of them will be uprooted from the world. "And come, denounce Yisrael" (Bemidbar 23:7) REFERS TO Yisrael above, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHO SHOULD CAUSE HIM TO BE ANGRY, meaning anger AND INDIGNATION shall be before Him, as it says, "And an El who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12).

465. "For from the top of the rocks I see him..." (Bemidbar 23:9). Rabbi Yitzchak said, This refers to the patriarchs, as it is written: "Look to the rock whence you are hewn" (Yeshayah 51:1). "And from the hills I behold him" (Bemidbar 23:9): this refers to the matriarchs. They could be cursed neither from this aspect OF THE PATRIARCHS nor from that OF THE MATRIARCHS.

466. Rabbi Aba said that "top of the rocks" means who has power against Yisrael, since they are attached and emanate from the top of the rocks. Who are the rocks? They are Gvurot, because all the judgments in the world emerge from the Gvurot and they are attached onto them. "And from the hills I behold him:" These are the rest of the camps that are linked to them, TO THE GVUROT, "it is a people that shall dwell alone" (Ibid.). It is the same as it is written: "So Hashem alone did lead him" (Devarim 32:12).

467. "Who could count the dust of Jacob" (Bemidbar 23:10). This was already explained. However, Rabbi Yosi said, There are two levels, Jacob and Israel. At first, WHEN HE IS AT THE SIX ENDS, HE IS CONSIDERED Jacob and later on, WHEN HE ATTAINS THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, HE IS Iisrael. Although it is all the same, they are two grades. The higher grade is Israel AND THE GRADE OF JACOB IS LOWER.

468. "Who can count the dust of Jacob." HE ASKS: What is the dust below IN THE LEVEL OF JACOB? Rabbi Shimon says, It is written about it: "His sword makes them as dust" (Yeshayah 41:2). Who is His sword? It is known THAT IT IS MALCHUT, as it is written: "The sword of Hashem is filled with blood" (Yeshayah 34:6), BECAUSE MALCHUT IS CONSIDERED "THE SWORD OF HASHEM." Dust refers to the place from which Adam was created, as it is written: "And Hashem Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground" (Beresheet 2:7). From that dust emerge many legions and many camps, many levels, many law investigators, many arrows, many projectile stones and many spears, swords and weapons. "Who can count" is as it says, "Is there any number to His armies?" (Iyov 25:3).

469. "And the number of the fourth part of Yisrael" (Bemidbar 23:10). The quarter of Yisrael is the Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, BECAUSE YISRAEL, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, CONTAINS THE FOUR LETTERS OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, OF WHICH MALCHUT IS THE FOURTH LETTER. THEREFORE, IT IS CALLED "THE FOURTH PART (HEB. ROVA) OF YISRAEL." It is one WITH THE DUST OF JACOB, WHICH IS ALSO MALCHUT, EXCEPT THAT DUST IS MALCHUT OF JACOB, AND A FOURTH PART IS MALCHUT OF YISRAEL. A fourth of Yisrael is as it says, "Lying under its burden" (Shemot 23:5), WHOSE ARAMAIC TRANSLATION IS RAVI'A. THUS "THE FOURTH PART OF YISRAEL," MEANS THE LYING DOWN OF YISRAEL, THAT IS, THE BED OF YISRAEL, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED 'BED.' This refers to that which is written: "his litter, that of Solomon" (Shir Hashirim 3:7), WHICH IS MALCHUT. Another explanation of "fourth part:" Like the fourth from Yisrael down, NAMELY MALCHUT, WHICH IS BELOW ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED YISRAEL, BEING THE FOURTH UNDERNEATH IT. For it is called 'a fourth part' in the sequence of the Sfirot. From this, we under that David, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is the fourth leg of the throne, SINCE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN ARE THE THREE LEGS OF THE THRONE, WHICH IS BINAH, AND MALCHUT IS A FOURTH TO THEM.

470. Another explanation of: "Who can count the dust of Jacob." "Dust" are all those who are considered as dust, MEANING THAT EMANATE FROM MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED "DUST," as we explained. "And the number of the fourth part of Yisrael" is meant in the same sense, as it is written: "Is there any number to His armies?" "The fourth part of Yisrael" MEANS as we explained. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE WORDS "IS THERE ANY NUMBER TO HIS ARMIES" NOW REFERS TO THE QUARTER OF YISRAEL AND NOT TO THE DUST OF JACOB. Another explanation: "Who can count the dust of Jacob" refers to the precepts applying to the dust, like sowing, planting, harvesting, as was already explained by the friends. "And the number of the fourth part of Yisrael" REFERS TO THE PRECEPTS APPLYING TO THE LIVESTOCK, as it says, "You shall not let your cattle gender with a diverse kind (Heb. tarbia)" (Vayikra 19:19).

471. "And he took up his discourse, and said..." (Bemidbar 23:7). HE INQUIRES: It is not written, 'he spoke,' THAT WOULD MEAN THAT HE SPOKE. THEN what is the meaning of: "And he took up his discourse," INDICATING THAT HE MADE THE SPEECH AND NOBODY ELSE? Rabbi Chiya said, He was just raising his voice towards the speaker THAT IS MALCHUT CALLED COH. THAT IS THE MEANING OF: "And he took up his discourse." This was Bilaam WHO TOOK UP HIS DISCOURSE; "and said," which refers to Coh. SHE SPOKE, as it is written: "And say thus (Heb. coh)." MALCHUT, THAT IS CALLED COH WILL DO THE SPEAKING. And the speech was from her.

472. Come and see, when Bilaam saw that even with all his witchcraft and all that offering, MEANING THE SACRIFICES THAT HE OFFERED, he was unable to uproot that coh, as it says, "While I go to the meeting yonder (Heb. coh)," to uproot coh. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him, 'Wicked one, you are planning to annihilate her. I will extricate you from your chain, MEANING HE WILL UPROOT HIM FROM THE SOURCE. It is written: "And Elohim met (Heb. vayikar) Bilaam," as we explained THAT IT IS DERIVED FROM "THE RAVENS OF THE VALLEY SHALL PICK IT OUT (HEB. YIKRUHA)" (MISHLEI 30:17), PICK HIM OUT OF HIS LEVEL. Following this, when he realized that he could not, he again said, "And he has blessed; and I cannot reverse it (her)." It should have read: 'I cannot reverse him,' but "reverse her" is more precise, because it refers to her about whom the word coh is used, as "And say thus (Heb. coh)," REFERS TO MALCHUT, ABOUT WHOM HE SAID, I cannot reverse her FROM YISRAEL.

473. Bilaam said, Into two levels I tried to enter. I tried to enter into them from the level of Jacob but I could not. I tried to enter them from another side, FROM THE LEVEL of Yisrael, but I did not succeed. What is the reason? It is because neither level is involved in evil species. This is what is written: "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob nor has he seen perverseness in Yisrael" (Bemidbar 23:21).

474. We studied earlier that there are two levels, enchantment and divination. Corresponding to them are TWO KLIPOT OF iniquity and perverseness. Bilaam thought to himself, I definitely discovered the adversaries of Jacob and Yisrael, since iniquity is THE KLIPAH against Jacob that is connected WITH THE SORCERY CALLED 'enchantment.' Perverseness is THE KLIPAH against Yisrael that is connected to 'divination.' When he realized that he could not succeed, he said, Most certainly, "he has not beheld iniquity in Jacob nor has he seen perverseness in Yisrael." What is the reason? Because "Hashem his Elohim is with him..."

475. If you will say that with these, INIQUITY AND PERVERSENESS, I cannot succeed, but with enchantment and divination I will succeed, it is written: "Surely there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor is there any divination in Yisrael" (Ibid. 23). Not only this, but all the legions above and all the camps are unaware, nor do they look at the customs of the King up high until only after they ask for these two LEVELS of Jacob and Yisrael. What are they saying? "What El has performed" (Ibid.). Rabbi Elazar said, All these matters were spoken by Coh, THAT IS MALCHUT, AND BILAAM JUST raised his voice towards her, having no idea what it was all about, and nothing was heard of him save his voice.

476. "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion..." (Ibid. 24). Which nation is as strong as Yisrael? When the morning light breaks to shine, he rises and gains strength like a lion for the devotional service of his Master with many songs and praises, studying Torah all day. At night, he "shall not lie down until he eat of the prey" (Ibid.). When a person wishes to lie down on his bed, he sanctifies the Holy Name and proclaims Him King above and below. How many instigators of laws come together before them at the time they open their mouths on their bed with Sh'ma Yisrael, and beg for compassion before the Holy King with several verses of mercy.

477. Rabbi Aba said, "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion" MEANS this nation is will rise in the future over all heathen nations like a powerful mighty lion, and will hurtle HIMSELF over them. It is the manner of all lions to lie down over their prey; however, this nation "shall not lie down until he eat of the prey."

478. Another explanation of: "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion" to bring offerings and burnt offerings before the King on the altar. We have learned that, at the time the offering is being burnt on the altar, they perceived a form of a lion reclining over the sacrifice and eating it.

479. Rabbi Aba said, Uriel was a high angel and he was perceived in the form of a strong lion, reclining on the altar and consuming the sacrifices. When the children of Yisrael were not so worthy, they used to perceive the form of some impudent dog reclining over it. The children of Yisrael then realized that they had to repent, and they repented. "He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey" refers to the sacrifices that must be completely consumed by fire during the night, such as burnt offerings. "And drink the blood of the slain" (Bemidbar 23:4) means that the Holy One, blessed be He, will carry on battles with their enemies for them.

480. Rabbi Elazar said that it is written: "He shall not lie down." What is the meaning of, "He shall not lie down?" HE RESPONDS: It is only because every single night, when a person follows his Master commands, he does not lie down on his bed until he kills 1,125 of those evil species that dwell with him. Rabbi Aba said, A thousand are from the left side, as it is written: "A thousand shall fall at your side" (Tehilim 91:7) and it is also written: "Let the pious be joyful in glory, let them sing aloud upon their beds. The high praises of El are in their mouth, to execute vengeance upon the nations..." (Tehilim 149:5-7). Hence, it says, "He shall not lie down..." which is the meaning of, "To execute upon them the judgment..." (Ibid. 9).

481. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, In accordance with the three times that Bilaam beat his she-mule and loaded her with his witchcraft, Yisrael were blessed three times. Rabbi Chiya said, Corresponding to this, Yisrael got the blessing to go up three times a year and be seen in the presence of the Holy King.

482. "And when Bilaam saw that it pleased Hashem to bless Yisrael, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments..." (Bemidbar 24:1). HE INQUIRES: What is the meaning of: "to seek for enchantments?" Rabbi Yosi said, The first two times, he approached with all the implements of his witchcraft and desired to curse Yisrael. Then he realized the wish of the Holy One, blessed be He, who said, '"Go back to Balak," because My children have no need of your utterances. Another speech is forthcoming from this Coh, as it says, "And say thus (Heb. coh)." That means Coh will be speaking and not you. "And say thus (coh)," (or: 'coh will speak'), because she governs all the rulers of witchcraft and sorcery and the variety of evils, so they are not able to harm My children.' He then wished to gaze at them with the evil eye.

483. Come and see this wicked one. When he gazed at Yisrael, he looked into both of these levels - Jacob and Yisrael - to harm them with his witchcraft, either this one or that one. Therefore, at each and every blessing, both Jacob and Yisrael were blessed. "And when Bilaam saw that it pleased..." How did he see? HE RESPONDS: He noticed that when the King's face was shining, the variety of evils did not endure, and none of the magic and sorcery were successful in their witchcraft.

484. Come and see: At those two times, it is written "met" once in, "And Elohim met" and once in, "And Hashem met Bilaam." Then it says, "And say thus (Heb. coh)." When he realized that no anger exists, and his witchcraft was not helping him, "he went not, as at other times..." As soon as he separated and removed himself from his magic, he began with another kind of rousing to praise Yisrael. Rabbi Yehuda said, What was this rousing here? He said to him, This was the rousing of a spirit of the left side, the one under whom all the varieties of his witchcraft are connected.

485. Rabbi Elazar said, This is what I was taught, even the THIRD time the Holy Spirit did not dwell upon him. Rabbi Yosi inquired of him, If so, why is it written: "And the spirit of Elohim came upon him" (Ibid. 2) and all the other times, it is not written that way. He replied to him, That is the way it must be. Come and see that it is written: "He that has a generous eye shall be blessed" (Mishlei 22:9). It was already explained not to read, 'Shall be blessed,' but rather "shall bless." Since Bilaam was so evil-eyed, that no one in the world was as evil-eyed as he. Everything at which he gazed with his eyes became cursed.

486. Therefore, they said, Whoever makes his son pass in the marketplace and has fear of the evil eye should cover the top of his head with a head scarf, so the evil eye will not affect him. As well, when Bilaam saw that he could not succeed with his magic and sorcery in harming Yisrael, he wanted to gaze on them with the evil eye, because everything he looked at with his evil eyes became cursed. Come and see what he planned against Yisrael. It is written: "But he set his face toward the wilderness" (Bemidbar 24:1), as the Targum translates THAT HE PUT HIS GAZE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CALF THAT YISRAEL CREATED AND SINNED WITH IN THE DESERT, so that he may get allies to harm them.

487. See what is written: "And Bilaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Yisrael" (Bemidbar 24:2), because he wished to gaze at them with the evil eye. At that very moment, if the Holy One, blessed be He, had not preceded him with the remedy, he could have destroyed them with the gaze of his eyes. Which remedy did the Holy One, blessed be He, grant to Yisrael at that very moment? It is written: "And the spirit of Elohim came upon him" and "came upon him" refers to Yisrael. The Holy One, blessed be He, extended and covered Yisrael over with the spirit of Elohim. It is in the same sense as a person spreads the scarf over the head of a child, so that no evil eye shall affect him.

488. He opened the discussion with the verse: "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob" (Ibid. 5). Come and see: Whoever wishes to gaze with an evil eye is not able to do so unless he praises and honors the one whom he wishes to curse with the evil eye. What is his usual method of operation? He says, How nice he is, how beautiful he is, in order that the evil eye would affect him. Here too, he said, "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob." How nice, how beautiful they are, how beautiful are the plants that have been planted from them. They are comparable to the pretty plantings that the Holy One, blessed be He, has planted in the Garden of Eden! Would that plantings shall come forth from these dwellings!

489. "He shall pour the water out of his bucket" (Ibid. 7). THIS IS like a man who had fine hands, beautiful in appearance. One person passed by, a man of the evil eye, gazed at these hands, grasped them and began to praise them, saying, How beautiful they are, how pretty. Look at the fingers cut out in the highest form of beauty. Then he is, Who shall give these hands to dwell among precious stones and expensive purple garments, AND BE in his house to use them and they shall be stored in his vault.

490. Here, the same Bilaam began to praise: "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Yisrael." How handsome they are and how fine. Afterward, "He shall pour the water out of his bucket," WHICH MEANS that you cannot find a nicer planting than this, the planting of Torah, outside of these dwellings. And "moistening his seed plentifully" (Ibid. 7), WHICH HE MEANT TO BE AMONG THE KLIPOT THAT ARE CALLED 'PLENTIFUL MIGHTY WATERS,' MEANING TO SAY that the Holy Spirit should not grow and increase.

491. The Holy One, blessed be He said to him, 'Wicked one, your eyes can do no harm, because there is a veil of the Holy Spirit over them.' He then said, "El brought him out of Egypt..." (Ibid. 8), WHICH MEANS none of the world's inhabitants will be able to harm them because a strong and powerful higher strength holds on to them. What is it? It is: "El brought him out of Egypt." Not only that, but "he has as it were the strength of a wild ox" (Ibid.) No person could extend his hands over him due to his height. Because he exists at such a height, "he shall eat up the nations his enemies" (Ibid.) and no one is able to harm them.

492. Even at a time when he is not standing, they will not succeed AGAINST HIM. This is what is written: "He couched, he lay down" (Ibid. 9). EVEN THEN he is not afraid, because he is mighty "like a lion, and like a great lion" (Ibid.). This means that, even when he is IN EXILE among the nations and he crouches and lies among them like a lion, he will be familiar in the laws of the Torah and in the ways of the Torah. They have a government from their Master that all the kings of the world cannot uproot; it is comparable to the strength of the lion which cannot be raised up from the prey that he is crouched over. It is written: "He couched, he lay down like a lion, and like a great lion: who shall stir him up?"

493. Rabbi Elazar said, You could not find in the world a wiser person to do harm than that wicked Bilaam. At first, he was in Egypt and, through him, the Egyptians plotted against Yisrael, so that they should never escape their slavery. And he said, how can I harm them? I was the one who caused them never to escape the slavery of Egypt, yet, "El brought him out of Egypt" and against Him, none of the wise men and sorcerers of the world could prevail.